From Frustration to 100% Blackout: Reinventing DIY Blackout Shades

The Problem With Blackout Shades

Blackout shades promise total darkness, deeper sleep, and better mornings.

But most people who try them run into the same old frustrations:

• Installation is painful. Paper instructions, endless YouTube videos, and mounting stress when something doesn’t work.

• Installation is costly. If you don’t want to do it yourself, hiring a professional can be expensive.

• They don’t actually black out 100%. Light leaks around the edges, and instead of true blackout, you’re left with a dim room that still disrupts your sleep.

It’s no wonder so many people feel like they’ve been sold a dream that never comes true.

Our Edge in Blackout

UBlockout was new to the U.S., but our team had been working on 100% blackout shades since 2017 in Australia.

We were the first in Australia to create a guaranteed 100% blackout solution. The hardest problem had been solved — but it was still difficult to install, even for professionals.

The business was solid and growing, but we wanted to bring our better sleep solution to the rest of the world, and at scale.

What We Learned Quickly With UBlockout

When we began creating UBlockout, we didn’t just want to create the ultimate blackout shade. We wanted to re-imagine the entire experience.

Our goals were clear:

• A stylish 100% blackout solution for better sleep

• Easy enough to install for someone who had never held a drill.

• Both bottom-up and top-down operation.

• Support for masonry, metal, and drywall — designed for nearly all window applications.

• Manual, motorized, and smart options so you can open your shades without getting out of bed.

We took the lessons from our first version and set out on our mission: to create the ultimate blackout shade, easy to DIY, for the biggest market in the world — the U.S.A.

We’ll be honest: we failed a lot. We spent months trying to improve instructions to fix product issues. But in the end, we had to go back to the drawing board and redesign the product itself to make it more intuitive and to solve the issues highlighted during consumer testing.

It wasn’t a simple mission. Customers not only had to install a shade — they had to achieve 100% blackout, every time. No small feat.

Through consumer testing, we quickly discovered:

• Paper instructions are clunky. They lack context, steps get skipped, and people get overwhelmed when something goes wrong.

• People learn differently. Some prefer video, some prefer text, some want both.

• Context is critical. Images and text only go so far — video is essential to show how parts connect.

• Great instructions can’t fix bad product design. The product itself must be intuitive, with instructions as a bonus.

• Live support matters. When overwhelmed, it’s comforting to know you can call or chat with someone to resolve things fast.

How We Reinvented Installation

Instead of accepting the old way, we reimagined installation from the ground up with our own digital app:

• Personalized instructions. Scan your QR code, load your order and specific instructions in seconds

• Bite-sized steps. Follow at your own pace, no overwhelm.

• Video + instructions side by side. Whether you prefer video, images, or text, you’ll see exactly what to do.

• Troubleshooting at every step. If something goes wrong, relevant videos and information are right there.

• Live chat + video call support. Real help, right when you need it.

• Constant improvement. Because it’s digital, we can update instructions instantly based on feedback.

DIY doesn’t have to suck. Done right, it is actually empowering.

The Results

So far, UBlockout has delivered:

• 20,000+ shades installed using our process.

• 4.9-star average rating across thousands of customers.

• 30 minute average install first go. 15 minutes second go.

• Near-zero failed installs thanks to our app and real-time support.

• A growing community of great sleepers — many of whom swore they “could never do this.”

Every issue that arises becomes an opportunity. We log it, fix it, and roll out improvements so the next customer has an even smoother experience.

More Than 100% Blackout and Exceptional Instructions

We didn’t just stop at 100% blackout and better instructions. We wanted a solution built for lasting satisfaction — an investment in both sleep and lifestyle for years to come.

That’s why UBlockout shades are:

• Elegant and modern in design, enhancing any room.

• Child-safe, with no exposed cords.

• Thermally efficient, keeping rooms cooler in summer and warmer in winter.

• Upgradeable, from manual to motorized to smart home integration.

• Built to last, with durable aluminum frames for stability and longevity.

And behind these features are the values that drive everything we do:

• Exceptional Experience: Every touchpoint — from shopping to sleeping — is designed to feel effortless.

• Measure Twice, Cut Once: Precision matters. Whether it’s product design, installation, or customer service, we believe in doing it right the first time.

• Continuous Improvement: Every piece of feedback fuels updates and refinements. We get better every day.

• A Better Life for All: At the heart of our mission is transformation — helping people everywhere sleep better, feel better, and live better.

One product. One focus. Done right.

Why It Matters

Light is the most powerful external factor affecting sleep. With UBlockout, we’ve solved that problem for thousands of people.

But this is just the beginning. We’re committed to pushing further — improving the product, expanding the experience, and helping even more people reclaim their sleep and their lifestyle.

Because blackout isn’t just about darkness. It’s about transformation: waking rested, performing at your best, and living with more energy and focus.